This Is My Secret to Making High-Street Clothes Look Expensive

As a shopping editor, I spend a large proportion of my time scrolling through online stores, eagle-eyed and on the lookout for the best buys. As we're a site that tries to cater to all needs (high-street, high-end and second-hand), I like to think that I have a pretty good idea of what constitutes a successful purchase. This is, however, particularly tricky when it comes to high-street, as you can't always rely on price to guarantee quality (which, to be fair, it doesn't always). 

While there are a few items that can benefit from a little more expense, in general, I'd say that you can usually find expensive-looking high-street iterations of most wardrobe staples. In my experience, fabric is key, and while that might be harder to judge when shopping online, there are certain options that are safer bets than others. For example, I find that linen is something that can look premium at a more affordable price point, especially when it's paired with a minimalist silhouette.

Of course, this is not a definitive rule, and you can definitely find cheap-looking leather or linen, for example. However, it might be a way to help you sift through the overwhelming number of items that often confront us online. To give you a head start, I did a bit of digging and came up with an edit of high-street buys within each category to spark your imagination. Scroll down to see and shop my picks. 

1. White Cotton

Style Notes: Nothing looks quite as sleek as white cotton. A shirt tucked into jeans makes for a seamless everyday ensemble, while a dress styled with tan sandals makes for the ultimate influencer-inspired outfit come summer. 

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2. Ribbed Knit

Style Notes: While knitted textures generally give off an expensive-looking air, there's something about ribbed knitwear that sets it apart from the rest. A light supportive weave with the sculpting power of jersey and the cold-weather defence of wool; what's not to like? 

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3. Plissé Pleating

Style Notes: Plissé is a material that's defined by micro-pleats, which give it a crinkled or puckered effect. One of the reasons it looks so expensive is down to these pleats; they obscure any wrinkles, ensuring you always look fresh and put together. Plus, they’re less commonplace than thicker pleats—and their rarity makes them feel more inherently premium. 

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4. Heavy Linen

Style Notes: While thinner linen clothing can crease with minimal wear, there is something that feels very polished about the woven material. So when I want to get my linen fix, I'm sure to seek out thicker iterations of the material to ensure they stay looking pressed and fresh for longer. 

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5. Classic Denim

Style Notes: If you want to make your denim and jeans look more expensive, I advise sticking to a palette of classic blue tones, which can be interchanged with one another, and just about every other colour in our wardrobe, with ease. 

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6. Luxe Leather

Style Notes: Last but certainly not least is leather. Real leather pieces are known for being expensive and thus give off a premium-looking feel without having to try. Nowadays you can get faux-leather pieces of incredibly quality and at more reasonable prices on the high street; no one will know the difference. 

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Up Next, Spring/Summer 2023 Fashion Trends: The 21 Looks You Need to Know About

This post was originally published at an earlier time and has since been updated.